Fashion and the 2020 Election: The Political Power Clothing Yields

By: Ines Izquierdo

As of any form of art, fashion is inherently expressive. While some people still reduce fashion to a superficial form of adornment, countless designers are disproving this idea. How? By emblazoning their designs with political messages in response to the 2020 presidential election. As the fashion community welcomed these messages into their wardrobes, it became clear that fashion is not frivolous — it is an evocative outlet to express one’s values and political beliefs. 

In response to the political tumult of this year, it seems as though most designers and brands rallied behind one critically urgent call to action: Vote. Spring 2020 runways were covered in pieces displaying the one-word statement, including a Christian Siriano gown printed with repetitions of the word. However, other designers have expressed more nuanced political messages. For example, Zac Posen came out with a silk scarf presenting every Democratic female candidate on the ballot, making a statement on the intersection between feminism and politics. It’s evident that designers are honing this newfound power to express explicit political messages, and they are doing so masterfully. 

However, the specially designed clothes themselves are not the only essential component to political self-expression through fashion. After the clothes have been designed, it comes down to who wears them. Countless industry influencers have taken to the political messaging, donning pieces that align with their views. Gigi Hadid, renowned supermodel, posted a photo of herself wearing a black beanie scrawled with the word “vote” on her Instagram the afternoon before election day. Designer Michael Kors wore a T-shirt saying “your voice matters” on his Instagram stories. Clearly, members of the fashion community are using clothes to channel their political voices. 

That said, the big names in the fashion industry are not alone when influencing politics through fashion. People of all professional backgrounds have started engaging with political fashion, and thus spreading political messages within their social groups. From donning T-shirts in support of their preferred candidates to wearing facemasks with the word “vote” on them, anyone can use fashion to make a political statement. 

So, the fundamental question remains: what role did political fashion play in the 2020 presidential election? One phenomenon we observed is that younger generations, often inspired by creativity and ingenious ways to express beliefs, have shown up to vote in this election like never before. Early votes from Millennials and Gen Z have nearly surpassed total votes from the same generations in the 2016 election. In fact, overall voter turnout in this election is projected to break the previous record set 60 years ago, with 66.1% of eligible voters casting a ballot in 2020 compared to 63.8% in 1960. While countless factors influenced this increased voter turnout, fashion has surely contributed to this outcome. 

As an outlet for any form of self-expression, fashion allows those inspired by creativity to showcase their views with the clothing they wear. It acts as a form of endorsement, for the action of voting in general or for a particular party, that encourages those around us to grapple with the political reality of the country and push for civic engagement. Fashion starts a conversation, and this time the industry used its resources to get young voters to the polls. 

Given the voter turnout that we witnessed this past election, fashion can no longer be trivialized; it affords designers and consumers alike the ability to make a statement about their political beliefs, and even plays a role in shaping voter turnout and thus election results. Thus, political organizations and campaigns must begin recognizing fashion for the power it yields. Implementing greater collaborative efforts between fashion and politics in the future could have strikingly positive effects on voter turnout and the support of particular campaigns. For example, establishments like Vote.org could consider collaborations with designers to target voters, particularly young ones, who tend to have lower turnouts in politics. Campaigns could work with fashion industry leaders to promote political engagement in the industry. The relatively uncharted intersection between fashion and politics must be explored — not just for the good of political leaders, but so that groups within the fashion community can use their voices and be heard.